SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – The University of California made a record-breaking amount of admission offers for the fall of 2021 to new undergraduates.
On Monday, officials announced that freshman admissions had increased by 11-percent from 2020 systemwide. It jumped from 119,054 to 132,352.
Freshmen admitted who are from California also hit a high of 84,223 students, which is an increase of 5.34 percent.
In addition, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups of students make up 43-percent of the freshmen admitted. That is the highest proportion of incoming undergraduates and the highest in UC history.
The number of transfer students admitted from California Community Colleges also increased by 1.35-percent. 53-percent of these students will be the first to earn a four-year degree in their family.
“These remarkable numbers are a testament to the hard work and resiliency of students and their families across California,” said President Michael V. Drake, M.D. “I am particularly heartened by the social and economic diversity of those offered a place at UC. Fall will be an exciting time on our campuses.”
Other records that were hit include:
- Latinx students are the largest ethnic group making up 37-percent of admitted freshmen
- African-American students admitted increased by 15.6-percent systemwide
- First-generation college students make up 45-percent of admitted freshmen
UC Merced had 59-percent of first-generation freshmen, which was the highest percentage. UC San Diego had the highest number of students transferring from a community college.
The schools with the overall greatest year-over-year freshman admissions are:
- UC Davis up 19.2%
- UC Irvine up 6.9%
- UC San Diego up 6%
The amount of Fall 2021 applications were up more than 13-percent and schools made an effort to admit as many students who were qualified.
Universities also made temporary adjustments for requirements due to COVID, which includes suspending the letter-grade requirement. They were also flexible for students who needed extra time for registering, deposits, and transcript deadlines.
“As the data make clear, UC is continuing to honor its commitment to guarantee admission to high-performing California high school students and providing a clear pathway for talented community college students to join us,” said Han Mi Yoon-Wu, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions at UC. “We are proud to be able to welcome so many exceptional young people to UC.”
Data tables with campus-specific information for both freshmen and transfer students are available on this website.